Choose your council
AberdeenAberdeenshireAngusArgyll and ButeClackmannanshireDumfries and GallowayDundeeEast AyrshireEast DunbartonshireEast LothianEast RenfrewshireEdinburghFalkirkFifeGlasgowHighlandInverclydeMidlothianMorayNorth AyrshireNorth LanarkshireOrkneyPerth and KinrossRenfrewshireScottish BordersShetlandSouth AyrshireSouth LanarkshireStirlingWest DunbartonshireWest LothianWestern Isles
School holidaysExamsToolsTeacher pay
AberdeenAberdeenshireAngusArgyll and ButeClackmannanshireDumfries and GallowayDundeeEast AyrshireEast DunbartonshireEast LothianEast RenfrewshireEdinburghFalkirkFifeGlasgowHighlandInverclydeMidlothianMorayNorth AyrshireNorth LanarkshireOrkneyPerth and KinrossRenfrewshireScottish BordersShetlandSouth AyrshireSouth LanarkshireStirlingWest DunbartonshireWest LothianWestern Isles

West Lothian school holidays 2026/27

Every holiday, in-service day and early finish for West Lothian Council schools in 2026/27 and 2027/28. West Lothian has a one-week October break this year, and the usual five in-service days.

Checked against West Lothian Council, School Terms and Holidays 2026/2027 on 1 October 2026

The school year at a glance

School openHolidayIn-service dayPublic holiday

Term dates 2026/27

DateWhat happensType
Autumn term
Mon 10 and Tue 11 Aug 2026Teachers return (in-service)In-service
Wed 12 Aug 2026Pupils resumeTerm starts
Mon 21 Sep 2026September holidayHoliday
Fri 16 Oct 2026Last day before October holidayTerm ends
Mon 19 to Fri 23 Oct 2026October holidayHoliday
Mon 26 Oct 2026In-service dayIn-service
Fri 18 Dec 2026Last day of termTerm ends
Christmas
Mon 21 Dec 2026 to Mon 4 Jan 2027Christmas holidayHoliday
Spring term
Tue 5 Jan 2027All resumeTerm starts
Fri 5 Feb 2027Last day before February holidayTerm ends
Mon 8 to Fri 12 Feb 2027February holidayHoliday
Mon 15 Feb 2027In-service dayIn-service
Thu 25 Mar 2027Last day of termTerm ends
Easter
Fri 26 Mar to Fri 9 Apr 2027Easter holidayIncludes Good Friday and Easter MondayHoliday
Summer term
Mon 12 Apr 2027All resumeTerm starts
Mon 3 May 2027May holidayPublic holiday
Thu 6 May 2027In-service dayIn-service
Mon 24 May 2027Spring holidayAll schools except the Bathgate and Linlithgow groupsHoliday
Mon 7 Jun 2027Bathgate local holidayBathgate Academy and feeder primaries, plus St Mary's Bathgate, St Columba's Blackburn and MurrayfieldHoliday
Tue 15 Jun 2027Linlithgow MarchesLinlithgow Academy and feeder primaries, plus St Joseph's Primary LinlithgowHoliday
Fri 25 Jun 2027Last day of sessionTerm ends
Summer
Sat 26 Jun 2027 to Tue 17 Aug 2027Summer holidaysPupils return Wednesday 18 August 2027Holiday
School openHolidayIn-service dayPublic holiday

Term dates 2027/28

DateWhat happensType
Autumn term
Mon 16 and Tue 17 Aug 2027Teachers return (in-service)In-service
Wed 18 Aug 2027Pupils resumeTerm starts
Fri 17 and Mon 20 Sep 2027September holidayFriday 17 and Monday 20 SeptemberHoliday
Fri 15 Oct 2027Last day before October holidayTerm ends
Mon 18 to Fri 22 Oct 2027October holidayHoliday
Mon 25 Oct 2027In-service dayIn-service
Tue 21 Dec 2027Last day of termTerm ends
Christmas
Wed 22 Dec 2027 to Tue 4 Jan 2028Christmas holidayHoliday
Spring term
Wed 5 Jan 2028All resumeTerm starts
Fri 11 Feb 2028Last day before February holidayTerm ends
Mon 14 to Fri 18 Feb 2028February holidayHoliday
Mon 21 Feb 2028In-service dayIn-service
Fri 31 Mar 2028Last day of termTerm ends
Easter
Mon 3 to Mon 17 Apr 2028Easter holidayIncludes Good Friday and Easter MondayHoliday
Summer term
Tue 18 Apr 2028All resumeTerm starts
Mon 1 May 2028May holidayPublic holiday
Tue 2 May 2028In-service dayIn-service
Mon 22 May 2028Spring holidayAll schools except the Bathgate and Linlithgow groupsHoliday
Mon 5 Jun 2028Bathgate local holidayBathgate Academy and feeder primaries, plus St Mary's Bathgate, St Columba's Blackburn and MurrayfieldHoliday
Tue 13 Jun 2028Linlithgow MarchesLinlithgow Academy and feeder primaries, plus St Joseph's Primary LinlithgowHoliday
Fri 30 Jun 2028Last day of sessionTerm ends
Summer
Sat 1 Jul 2028Summer holidaysNext session not published yetHoliday

Keep these dates in your phoneSubscribe once and your calendar updates if the council changes a date.

Get the calendar file

West Lothian's 2026/27 calendar in brief

West Lothian Council runs the schools in Livingston, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Broxburn, Whitburn and Armadale. It starts early. Staff return on Monday 10 August 2026 and pupils go back on Wednesday 12 August.

The September holiday is a single day, Monday 21 September. The October holiday runs from Monday 19 to Friday 23 October, later than in most councils. Monday 26 October is an in-service day, so pupils return on Tuesday 27 October.

Term ends on Friday 18 December and pupils return on Tuesday 5 January 2027. The February holiday is a full week, from Monday 8 to Friday 12 February. Easter starts on Good Friday, 26 March, and lasts two weeks.

Pupils return on Monday 12 April. Each school takes one local holiday in the summer term. Most close on Monday 24 May.

Bathgate schools close on Monday 7 June, and Linlithgow schools close for the Marches on Tuesday 15 June. There are five in-service days in 2026/27. The session ends on Friday 25 June 2027.

Schools in West Lothian

From the September 2025 pupil census.

85council schools: 68 primary, 13 secondary, 4 special
27,576pupils, about 4% of Scotland's total
22.8average primary class size (Scotland 23.1)

Local public holidays

These are set by the council for the area. Schools may already be closed for the summer or a holiday.

DateHoliday
Mon 7 Jun 2027Bathgate local holiday (Procession Day)Bathgate schools only
Tue 15 Jun 2027Linlithgow MarchesLinlithgow schools only
Mon 5 Jun 2028Bathgate local holiday (Procession Day)Bathgate schools only
Tue 13 Jun 2028Linlithgow MarchesLinlithgow schools only

Quick answers

When do West Lothian schools go back after the summer 2026?

Pupils return on Wednesday 12 August 2026. Staff resume on Monday 10 August for two in-service days.

When is the October holiday in West Lothian in 2026?

The October holiday runs from Monday 19 to Friday 23 October 2026. Monday 26 October is an in-service day, and pupils return on Tuesday 27 October.

When are the Bathgate and Linlithgow local holidays in 2027?

Bathgate schools close on Monday 7 June 2027. Linlithgow schools close for the Marches on Tuesday 15 June 2027. Other schools take Monday 24 May instead.

When does the Easter holiday start in West Lothian in 2027?

The last day of term is Thursday 25 March 2027. Schools are closed from Good Friday, 26 March, and pupils return on Monday 12 April.

Individual schools can add their own closure days, and councils sometimes move in-service days. Your school's letter or website takes priority. West Lothian has five in-service days in 2026/27.